Field confirmed for 2023 New Zealand Darts Masters including Price, Michael Smith and Aspinall

Monday, 31 July 2023 at 16:22

On August 4 and 5, the New Zealand Darts Masters is scheduled to take place. This is the fifth World Series tournament of the season, and the first of the diptych in "Down Under.

For the seventh time, a World Series tournament in New Zealand is on the PDC calendar. From 2015 to 2018, it was played in Auckland. In 2019, the event moved to Hamilton, returning last year after being unable to do so for two years due to the corona pandemic.

The field of participants at the New Zealand Darts Masters consists of sixteen players. The eight PDC players will compete against the eight best players from the Oceanic countries. Because Jonny Clayton withdrew due to personal reasons, Damon Heta was added to the PDC representation though.

Leading the lineup is world champion and world number one Michael Smith. Also competing are Peter Wright, Gerwyn Price, Rob Cross, Danny Noppert, Nathan Aspinall and Dimitri van den Bergh.

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For Noppert it will be his very first World Series tournament outside Europe as his compatriot Michael van Gerwen is missing from 'Down Under'. Van Gerwen has chosen to spend August with his family.

The Oceanic representation includes Simon Whitlock, Ben Robb, Haupai Puha, Darren Herewini, Johnny Tata, Kayden Milne, Warren Parry and Darren Penhall. In the draw for the New Zealand Darts Masters, they will be paired with one of eight PDC players.

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What are the World Series of Darts?

World Series tournaments are PDC international events organized to promote the sport beyond its (Western) European borders.

Earlier this year, tournaments also took place in Bahrain, Denmark, the United States and Poland. After the tournament in New Zealand, there will also be another event in Australia before the World Series of Darts Finals take place in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam in September. Past World Series tournaments have also been scheduled in Dubai, Singapore, Japan, Scotland, China, Germany and Austria.